A judge has struck down the Trump administration's months-long freeze on green card and asylum applications, ordering USCIS to immediately resume processing cases and end what the court called 'indefinite legal limbo' for thousands of applicants. The ruling by US District Judge John McConnell in Washington declares the suspension unlawful, targeting a policy that halted immigration benefits based solely on nationality.
The news came after USCIS confirmed it will comply with McConnell's decision despite saying it disagrees with the outcome. The agency had paused applications for nationals from a broad group of countries previously subject to travel ban-related restrictions, leaving many unable to obtain green cards, work permits, asylum decisions, or citizenship rulings.
